Vault-door.



J. R. FLOOD.

Patelited Sept. 2, 1913.

o f v auf WIT/VESSES:

'UNITE OFFICE.

JOHN R. FLOOD, OF SPOKANE, `Vi/'ASIPIBTGTON, ASSIGNOR T0 UNIQUE SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION.

VAULT-DOOR.

T 0 all who/m, it may concern Be it known that I, JoilN R. Fnoon, a citizen o't' the United States ot America, residing at Spokane, in the county o'l Spo kane and State oit lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vault-Doors, of which the it'ollmving is a specification.

This invention relates to vault closures and more particularly to mechanism t'or operating the same conveniently, especially cement doors or other doors comprising heavy or bulky substance.

A partici'ilar object ot' the invention is to provide a substantial mechanism whereby the doors may be raised and lowered without having' to manually lit't the weight ot the same and without danger ot them :talling and injuring the operator or others.

Other objects and purposes lwill be disclosed by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, shown in a single lig'- ure.

rllwo doors are shown adapted 't'or covering a single opening. The door 1() is shown in a closed position and the door 1l in an open position. The particular application of the device as shown in the drawings is to a pair of doors in a pavement leading' to a basement. At the edges of the opening 13, perpendicularly arranged are rails ll reaching from a point near the top ot the opening to the floor of the basement or to some substantial support. Suspended from the pavement 15 are pulleys 16. llngaging the rails 14 as guides are shoes 17, to which shoes are pivotally attached rods 18, as at 1S). W'eights 20 serving as counter balances to the doors 1() and 11 are attached to cables 21, such cables passed over the pulleys 16 and attached to the shoes 17, leaving the weights 20 suspended. The rods 1S being pivotally connected at one end to the doo-rs 1() and 1,1 as at 22. The rods 1S instead oit' being straight are slightly deflected as at 23, thereby giving the upper portions thereo't a curve inwardly, the purpose being to have the rods 18 ot' such construction that when the doors are thrown open, the saine will be permitted to swing' upwardly a little beyond the perpendicular, so that gravity will maintain them in an open position without other assistance, as shown by the open position of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 3, 1913.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

ser1a1No.751,75o.

the door ll. llaeh door has an independent mechanism and may be operated separately.

The doors l() and 1l` being counter-balanced by the weights 2t) are easily lifted 'trom either a position below the doors or above the same, and are closed by a light push against them without any danger of themv slamming' or being drawn down at a. dangerous speed. ln the practical operation ot' the parts in opening' and closing a door, the doors are liltcd by the operator with the assistance ot the counter balance` the shoes 17 pass upwardly along the rails 'llt as supports, the cables 21 are carried over the pulleys ltl and the weights 20 are carried downward leaving the mechanism as shown in the drawings as applied to the open door ll.. In closing the doors the 0peration is reversed, leaving the mechanism as shown in the drawings as applied to the closed door 1t).

lVhat l claim is,

1. ln vault doors, a doei' hinged at a permanent position, guide posts extending downwardly 'lrom a position near the hinges, pulleys suspended Alrom a permanent position in the vicinity o'l the guide posts, slices adapted to 'tollow the guide posts, rods reaching 'lrom the tilt'able end ot the door and pivoted thereto reaching to and pivoted to the shoes and c(Hinter-balances attached to cables and suspended over the pulleys, the opposite ends ot' thc cables being' attached to the shoes.

2. In vault doors. a door hinged at a permanent position, guide posts extending downwardly 'trom a position near the hinges, pulleys suspended 'lroin a perlnanent position in the vicinity of the guide posts, shoes adapted to 'lollow the guide posts, rods pivoted to the tiltable end ot' the door and reaching downwardly to and pivoted to the shoes and bent to deflect their upper ends inwardly, together with countcrbalances attached to cables and suspended over the pul leys, the opposite ends ol" the cables being attached to the shoes.

3. In vault doors, a door hinged at a permanent position, guide posts extending downwardly Alrom a position near the hinges, shoes adapted to 'tollow the guide posts, rods pivoted to the tiltable cud ot the door and reaching to and pivoted to the shoes and nianent bent to deflect their upper ends inwardly, together with a` eounterbalanee attached t0 said shoes.

4f. In Vault doors, a door hinged at a perposition, guide posts extending` downwardly from a position near the hinges, shoes adapted to follow the guide posts, rods pivoted to the tiltable end of the door and reaching` to and pivoted to the shoes and bent to deflect their upper ends inwardly to- 10 gether with means for raising and lowering said shoes along' the lguide posts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. FLOOD. Witnesses H. `W. MAQFALLON7 MONICA B. THOMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

